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2018 is officially here and that means most of us have already set our New Year’s resolutions. For more than 40% of Americans that means creating a goal related to self improvement. Statistics show that on average only 8% of American will actually achieve their New Years goals. Here are 4 proven and effective ways to help you achieve your New Year’s Resolution.

Set short term goals.

Instead of setting a long term goal of losing 30 pounds, set 3 short term goals to lose 10 pounds. This way every time you hit your goal, you create another short term goal. Reward yourself when you hit your short term goals and celebrate! It will keep you motivated and excited to reach your long term goal. Attainable, realistic, short term goals will be much more rewarding and will help you to stay on track and not give up.

Small steps.

Research shows most people fail to accomplish their goals because they set unrealistic goals. If you have a goal like “I’m going to work out 6 days a week for an hour” try instead, “I am going to workout 3 days a week for 30 minutes”. If you have a goal like, “I’m going to give up junk food” try instead, “85% of my diet will not have any junk food.” If you have a goal like, “I’m going to quit drinking” try instead, I am going to limit myself to 2 drinks per week. The level of extremity should be based on the level you are at. The point is not to go from 0 to 100. Experts say small steps rather than big leaps create lasting change.

Keep it simple.

Most people use the New Year as an opportunity to make a large bucket list or make extreme changes. That is very inspirational but experts say the average person has so many competing priorities that this type of approach is a setup for failure. Wanting to do too much can be so psychologically draining that you end up failing to launch in the first place so keep it simple. Think about what area of your life you wish to work on most whether it’s health, family, school or work,and set one or two goals that mean the most to you.

Believe you can.

Research shows that simply setting a goal significantly raises your chances of achieving that goal but within weeks or months, people begin abandoning their resolutions as they hit bumps in the road along the way. Most people who fail to achieve their new years resolution blame it on lack of willpower but there is a significant amount of research that proves that willpower is adaptable. In one study led by a Stanford University, scientists proved that people “performed better or worse depending on their belief in the durability of willpower.” Ultimately, you have as much willpower as you think you have. Which means that if you believe you can and you don’t change your mind about it then you will!

Follow these 4 steps and you will definitely achieve your New Year’s resolutions. Best wishes and here’s hoping that 2018 will be a joyful one for the world, and a year where all of us get one step closer to the people we want to be.

I have spent so many years of my life doubting myself, comparing myself to others, putting myself down and believing that I was not good enough. I used to throw on countless outfits, every morning, stand in front of the mirror, feeling sorry for myself and end up running late because I felt I couldn’t find something I looked good in. I was used to leaving the house feeling flustered, annoyed and insecure. I seemed to have been plagued with anxiety, and insecurity.

After losing some weight, learning how to dress for my body type and discovering shapewear that really flattered my figure I started to try on less outfits and feel more secure in myself but it wasn’t until I changed myself internally that I truly learned to accept myself just the way I was, love myself for who I am and truly feel confident.

Here are 7 mental hacks that helped me be more confident and can help you be more confident too.

1.What’s going into your head?

I actually have a bracelet I wear everyday that asks this question and I wear it as a constant reminder to not allow negative thoughts into my mind. There is a quote I really love. It goes- “Your mind is a garden, you can grow weeds or you can grow flowers.” Have you heard this quote before? It is simple but so true! Think of your mind as a garden. You decide what seeds you want to plant, nourish and grow. You can think to yourself “I’m so ugly” and you can continue to nurture and grow that thought day after day or you can think to yourself “I am beautiful just the way I am” and you can nurture and grow that one instead. You choose. It is so important to monitor what thoughts are going into your head and what you choose to accept as your truth.

2. Don’t compare yourself to others.

It is so easy to go into Facebook or Instagram and click a on a girl who is wearing a neon pink 2 piece bikini with perfectly tanned skin and skim through all her pictures comparing yourself and hating yourself thinking “why can’t i look like that?” or feel invisible when a beautiful girl walks in the room wearing a skin tight dress you wish you could pull off. Well Stop! Don’t do that to yourself. When you find yourself feeling that way admire her beauty and wish her well. God does not make any mistakes and designed everyone just the way they were meant to be. Everyone has their own unique package which was perfectly made for their life path and experiences. Instead of comparing yourself to others seek to be your own personal best. You may think there are so many people that are better off than you but don’t forget how many people would kill to be in your shoes!

3. Replace negativity with gratidude.

Instead of focusing on the things you don’t like, focus on the things you do like. Don’t think “Uh I hate my thighs”, “I’m so short”, “I’m too skinny” whatever it may be… Instead think about the things you do like “ I love my legs”, “My eyes are beautiful”, “I love my hair” etc. etc. Learn to shift your focus from negative to positive. REPLACE NEGATIVITY WITH GRATITUDE and feel grateful for all the beautiful features you do have.

4. Watch your self talk.

Speak to yourself the way you would someone you truly love and care about. Whenever the voice in your head whispers something judgmental, harsh or mean about yourself catch it. Don’t believe it. Step away from the thought and replace it with a gentler, kinder one. Speak to yourself with love. Be kind to yourself.

5. Face your fears.

Don’t like the way your arms look? Put on a tank top! Don’t like your thighs? Put on shorts! Hate the way you look in a bathing suit? Go to the pool! Face your fear! Once you do you will see there is really nothing to fear. It’s only when we face our fears that we can conquer them.

6. There is only one you.

There maybe someone who is thinner, has more money, more popularity etc etc but how many people think like you? Express themselves the way you do? Have your sense of humor? Have your set of priorities? Have your gifts? Your talents? Your heart? NO ONE. There is only one you. Think of everything that makes you, you. Would you really trade that for anyone else? Physical beauty changes, fades and decays. What about kindness, essence, intelligence, charisma, style and personality? That is what makes you, you. There is no one else in this world like you. Think about that. Doesn’t that make you special, priceless and extraordinary? Yes, it actually does.

7. Love yourself unconditionally.

If you have a child or a pet you probably know how it feels to love unconditionally. If your child writes on the wall you don’t love them any less. If your dog chews your favorite shoes you don’t love them any less. Well why not love yourself the same way? Just because you don’t love something about yourself doesn’t mean you should love yourself any less. Love yourself unconditionally the same way you love your children regardless of what they look like or the mistakes they make. True love is unconditional.

If you follow these tips you will be more confident no matter what you look like, or what you wear. Beauty shines from within and it is important to dedicate time to evaluate your own thoughts, and behaviors. Love yourself more, appreciate yourself, be kind to yourself and replace negativity with a grateful heart.

Halloween is officially 21 days away and that means bring on the sexy costumes! At least here, in Miami, we know the streets will be filled with sexy bumble bees, cops and school girls. And that’s the fun part! It is that one day a year we could be whatever and whoever we want and for most of us women that will be the sexy version of something! Lol!

So are you Halloween ready?

If not, do not fear! That’s why we’ve created this 21 Day (get your sexy ready) Challenge. If you’re already into fitness, you might find this challenge quite easy to complete but if you have been struggling with losing weight, fitting exercise into your busy life or you just keep putting off the diet until Monday which turns into next Monday that never comes around then this will be the push you need because I think a lot of us do that so this way we are all held accountable and can push and motivate each other.

Even If, you don’t want to lose weight, you just want to be healthier and more active this will be the perfect 21 Day Program to get you started on your new healthy habits & lifestyle. Research shows it takes 21 days to form a habit. So let’s use this program to change our lives for the better. Let’s say you want to read more, exercise more, drink more water, curse less, etc etc this will be a great opportunity for you to join in the 21 day countdown to acquire what you wish to create as a habit. The important part is not to take on too much too soon. That will discourage you from sticking to your goal. So keep it simple.

The beauty of this plan – which I think makes it so great for everyone – is that it is not especially hard, time consuming, or complicated. You can complete the challenge by simply being mindful of your food and stepping outside of your house to go for a walk. Either way, it does not require equipment or a gym membership so no excuses!

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or personal trainer but I have lost 100 pounds so I know what works & I am sharing what I did with you.

Okay so here is how it’s going to go:

Step 1: If you lack will power, throw away any junk food you have in your kitchen. Okay, the Oreos may of cost you $4 and the Cheetos another $3 but nothing tastes as good as looking good so throw them out! You’ll thank me later.

Step 2: Make a grocery list and go to the market! I want you to go to the produce section and get 60% of your groceries there. Here is a tip: Whatever is made in a factory is not good for you.

Step 3: A prepared person has a much higher chance to succeed. So try to prep your meals. Know what you are going to eat for breakfast, lunch & dinner. Pack your lunch the day before. Always be prepared so when someone says “I’m going to order Chinese, do you want something?” Your answer is no because you have your lunch already. Tip: Take protein powder and a portable blender to work with you so you always have a backup plan. Here is the blender I have at work. It’s cheap and works great.

Vegetables are packed with fiber and essential vitamins and minerals so it’s very important to eat your veggies. I suggest cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, and spinach. I can show you great tasting ways to incorporate more veggies into your diet. Your carbs should be high quality meaning not white rice, white starchy potatoes or pasta. Instead opt for a sweet potato, brown rice and quinoa. Tip: The veggies could be sauteed in a little butter, garlic, salt & pepper so give them flavor and make them enjoyable.

Step 5: You are required to complete some kind of exercise, workout, or physical activity every single day. This ensures that your energy levels stay high and creates a habit of being more active. So every single day you have to do at least 30 mins of cardio. You could ride bike, power walk, skate, swim, or jog. If you already do 30 mins kick it up to 45 or 60 mins and if you are up for it do some strength training either with weights or your own body such as jumping jacks, planks, squats, sit ups, push ups etc. Tip: Pack a bag with gym clothes and sneakers and take it with you to work. Go straight to the gym after work or change at work and go for a walk at a park near by. The hardest part is putting on your clothes. Don’t overthink it like Nike says… Just do it!

Step 6: No snacking. Have instead 2 or 3 meals a day. When you eat your body will use the food as fuel and will burn the food instead of the fat stored in your body. Every time you eat your body produces insulin. I am huge on intermediate fasting and research shows that it is an effective method to achieve weight loss.

Step 7: Add green tea! Have a least 2 cups of green tea a day. The more the better. There a several proven benefits of green tea. Green tea is the healthiest beverage on the planet. It is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body. Green tea boosts the metabolic rate and several studies show that green tea leads to a decrease in body fat especially in the abdominal area.

Step 8: No sugar!!! So important guys! No sugar and that means brown sugar too. Your body will always burn sugar before fat so when you go long periods of time without sugar your body goes into ketosis and uses the fat stored in your body as its fuel source. This not only means sugar in your tea or coffee. Rice, pasta and bread all break down as sugar in the body so avoid carbs and opt for sugar free instead. Do not use sugar alcohols like splenda or sweet and low because numerous studies have proven that they are terrible for our bodies and even cause cancer. Instead use Stevia or Truvia. Tip: Look at the amount of sugar in your salad dressing, pasta sauce, yogurts etc. Always get the one with the least amount of sugar.

Step 9: Organic food! Did you know that every time you eat GMO filled food your insulin levels spike up by 250%? That is insane! GMO food is not real food. It is a chemical that leaves you with no real nutrients and does not fill you up. Avoid fast food, buffets, and packaged food that is not GMO free as it will spike up your insulin levels and back track you by at least 3 days. Please try to eat organic food. Especially milk, eggs, wheat, and chicken. The amount of chemicals in non organic food will severely hinder your progress and overtime will make you very sick.

Step 10: Do not eat past 8pm. Well I have 99 problems and me starving at 11pm is basically all of them. Ahh! Did you know you can burn up to 600 calories while you sleep? That is an hour long walk! So you decide whether you want to burn the food you ate at 11pm or the fat in your body while you sleep. When you go to bed on an empty stomach your body gets to burn fat while you sleep. When you wake up, you look leaner and your stomach is flatter. Tips: After 8pm brush your teeth to decrease appetite. If that fails drink 2 glasses of water or a cup of tea instead of snacking.

Step 11: Switch a meal for a protein shake. You’ll get the energy, nutrients and protein you need and you’ll feel satisfied without the extra calories. Whether you drink your shake for breakfast, lunch or dinner is up to you. Please be sure to use a high quality protein shake. I prefer Vega Protein & Greens. It is organic and packed with vitamins and protein. You could get yours at Walmart or Publix.

Step 12: Be more active! Don’t look for the closest parking spot to the entrance. Park further away! Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Take your dog on a walk even for 10 minutes. At work, take a breather and walk around the office a few times or even the building if you can. If you have to go to the store and it’s a 5 minute drive why don’t you walk instead? Get some fresh air. Try to get in as many steps as possible. Did you know the American Heart Association suggests you walk 10,000 steps a day? On average, if you have a job where you sit and you don’t do any physical activity you will barely get 4,000 steps a day. That is terrible for our bodies. Become more active and you will not only lose weight but you will have more energy too! Tip: Get a step counter or fitness tracker to become aware of how many steps you take a day and motivate yourself to reach 10,000.

Step 13: Waist Train! If you want to shed inches off your waist, create an hourglass shape, tighten your abdominal area and loose skin then buy a waist trainer or a body shaper. As long as your midsection is compressed it will do the job. There are countless women who have waist trained and seen real results. Waist Training will not only mold your shape but it is a great weight loss tool as well. The stomach compression will decrease your appetite and help you feel full 30% faster so no more overeating. You should wear your shapewear 5 to 8 hours a day for maximum results. So just throw it on with your outfit in the morning and you will slim down and look damn good while doing it! Here is the waist trainer I use everyday.

Step 14: No alcohol. Ok guys so I know this one is a bummer but the amount of carbs beer has or amount of sugar wine has will definitely stop you from losing weight. Just for 21 days try to go without alcohol. If you are at a gathering or party and cannot refuse then go for tequila or vodka with cranberry but please try to limit the amount.

Step 15: No sweets! If you are absolutely craving chocolate or something sweet you have 3 choices. 1. Get an Atkins bar or Atkins treat because it has no sugar and low carbs. 2. Eat a yogurt that is low in sugar with some granola or sugar free chocolate chips. 3. Get some strawberries and dip them in Truvia. Tip: If you go to a party or a dinner and you are too tempted to say no then have only a bite or two.

So that’s it guys. Pretty simple right?

In just 3 short weeks you will be slimmer, healthier and much more energetic. Not to mention you will be Halloween ready and will look amazing no matter what you decide to dress up as.

Stay connected with me. If you are having a weak moment or lacking motivation reach out to me and I will support you! Join our support group Fuego Curves Dolls on Facebook. It is a closed group but open to anyone that is into health. Feel free to add anyone else doing the challenge with you or anyone who is on their own weight loss journey. Let’s stay motivated and get through the 21 days together.

The first 15 women who opt in the challenge will be entered for a chance to win a free waist trainer or bodysuit. Just add us on social media, join the facebook group and comment “I’m in” below to join.

My name is Erika Fuego and I am the creator of Fuego Curves. This brand is very dear to my heart because it represents me, my story, struggles and triumphs. As a child I always struggled with weight and was severely bullied for being “ugly” and “fat”. I was given nicknames like Shamu which I had to answer to and was even voted “most attractive” as a cruel joke at my high school banquet. At 17 years old I reached 235 pounds and I really did come to believe that I was unworthy and unlovable. I came to believe that there was something wrong with me and that being “beautiful” was just not in the cards I was dealt. It’s been almost 10 years since then and I have lost 100 pounds and managed to keep the weight off. I lost the weight by changing my eating habits and lifestyle and kept it off with dedication and discipline. I wish the story ended there and could tell you that after I lost the weight I felt confident and beautiful and my life was perfect but that couldn’t be further from the truth. For years I struggled with body dysmorphic disorder and no matter how much I worked out or how much weight I lost I was never satisfied and I still felt like there was something wrong with me. I felt my hips were too wide, my thighs were too thick, my waist wasn’t small enough, my back wasn’t lean enough, my stretchmarks were ugly and the list goes on and on. I was still extremely self conscious. I felt like a prisoner trapped in my own body. What was a huge game changer for me was discovering Shapewear. I felt like I could finally wear whatever I wanted and not worry about my tummy or back fat. For the first time I didn’t spend hours trying on different outfits; I felt like I could throw on anything and go. I felt liberated. I started to feel less like hiding and more like I wanted to go out and have a good time. For the first time in my life it was my idea to go to the beach with my friends. I didn’t feel afraid anymore because I felt I looked good in my Shapewear Swimsuit. It may seem silly but Shapewear brought me peace of mind and confidence and it still does today. Wearing a Compression Garment and Waist Trainer had several benefits. Not only did I feel better but I actually lost weight and shed inches off my waist. When your stomach is compressed you recognize when you are full faster and eat a lot less. It served as a great weight loss tool and has definitely molded my body into a more defined hourglass shape. I went from a 33 inch waist to a 28 inch waist in just a few months. It has taken a lot of conscious effort to remove those labels of “fat” and “ugly” and to stop criticizing and judging myself. I had to learn to accept myself the way I am. I have wide hips, a big butt and thick thighs and I will never be a size 2. It is just not my body type. I am curvy. And that is okay. I am not beautiful like someone else, I am my own kind of beautiful. I’ve learned not to compare myself to others and to only work towards being my own personal best. I am far from perfect and still learning to appreciate, accept and love myself and I created this brand to help you do the same. In order to give something you must first have it yourself because you cant give something you don’t have. And so in that lies the ultimate gift. I hope that together we could learn to love ourselves just the way we are and feel a little more confident with each passing day.